Troilus and Criseyde

Criseyde enters the chamber where Troilus is pretending to be sick as Troilus prays for help. When Criseyde speaks to him, he becomes so nervous that he is unable to respond. He eventually asks to be allowed to serve her and for her to look upon him in a friendly manner, which she agrees to. Criseyde asks him to stop being sad but warns him that just because he is a king’s son does not mean that she will allow him to have mastery over her and become her husband. She leaves Pandarus and Troilus alone, and Pandarus explains how expertly he has ensured that the romance will go well. He tells Troilus that he is doing this out of love for him but warns him not to mistreat Criseyde or compromise her honor. Pandarus clarifies that he will help Troilus satisfy his desire due to their friendship but that he is not simply selling out his niece or promising sexual favors from her. Troilus thanks Pandarus and offers to allow him to marry one of his sisters.

After this meeting, Troilus returns to the war with the Greeks by day and becomes Criseyde’s servant by night. Criseyde begins to trust Troilus more, seeing how he protects her reputation and does not try to force her to publicly reveal their relationship. One day, Pandarus invites Criseyde to his house for dinner. She arrives with her women and her niece Antigone while Troilus watches them from a hidden closet where he has been hiding since the previous night. Before Criseyde can leave, a fortunate rainstorm forces her to stay the night with Pandarus. During the night, Pandarus comes to Criseyde and tells her that her tender words to Troilus have misled him. He lies to her by saying that Troilus has come to his house seemingly filled with jealousy because he has heard a rumor that she has another lover. Criseyde is very upset, condemning jealousy and all the troubles of the temporal world. Pandarus urges her to clear up the matter with Troilus immediately, and she agrees to see him.

Troilus enters the chamber and kneels before Criseyde’s bed, causing her to blush and fall silent. When she recovers, she tells him that he is wrong to be jealous, as she has no other lover, and proclaims her frustration with jealousy and people who equate love and jealousy. She bursts into tears at the end of her speech, and Troilus is so overwhelmed with emotion and pity for her that he faints. Pandarus helps Criseyde revive Troilus and then leaves the lovers alone in the room.

Troilus and Criseyde make amends and spend the night enjoying the heavenly bliss of love. They kiss, embrace, and pledge themselves to each other. Criseyde gives Troilus a ring as a token. When morning comes, they have not slept at all, and they both lament that the night has passed so quickly. Troilus returns to his palace to sleep but cannot because he is still thinking of Criseyde and the night that they spent together. Criseyde accuses Pandarus of having orchestrated the whole affair. He playfully denies it, and the two joke together. Pandarus then goes to visit Troilus, who thanks him for his help and confides in him all that he and Criseyde did during their night together. Pandarus warns Troilus not to be too rash but helps bring the lovers together again for another night. They spend the night in intimacy, fulfilling each other’s desires, and once again curse the dawn for interrupting their happiness.

The book concludes with a song that Troilus writes in praise of love. He describes how love is not only a source of human happiness but also the connecting force that binds the natural world and the elements together. God’s love is what allows the universe to function. Troilus argues that love helps men become better because they will leave behind their vices to impress their lovers. He concludes with an ode to Venus and Cupid.